Of His fulness have all we received (Quality: Very Good)

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[1:21] The love of sin The love and righteousness All the incarnate world The wisdom, trust, and grace of your exalted love.

[2:00] You're like me, I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love.

[2:27] The world's crowned in land below, and father's love so great.

[2:44] The wise victory in love to all the pure grace.

[2:59] And with a song, can be holy.

[3:14] And I'm in love, I'm in love.

[3:29] The home of deity, with all his grateful days.

[3:44] His sweetest harmony, the song of joy, your grace.

[4:00] The home of God, and spirit, with all your life.

[4:15] You're like to this all day, rejoice.

[4:26] As the Lord shall be pleased to help me, I shall call your attention to a subject you will find in the Gospel of John, chapter 1, and the 16th verse.

[4:56] And of his fullness have all we received. And grace for grace.

[5:09] The Gospel of John, chapter 1, and the 16th verse.

[5:21] I will tell you a thought that wells up in my mind in announcing a subject like this. I should be glad beyond words to describe if I could be sure in my mind that this word refers to all under Union Chapel Room at the present time.

[5:48] I should be glad to see you. But I have not that ground whereby to believe it. And yet I do desire that all of you, sooner or later, may receive of the fullness referred to in the text.

[6:08] And if that mercy is granted to you, it will be well with you, while life endureth, and well when called to die.

[6:19] Which is a very solemn declaration made by godly John. And of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace.

[6:37] Some of you do hope you have received somewhat of it. But as I was contemplating this subject, my mind seemed for a moment or two to turn aside into what might seem a bypass from the subject.

[7:01] And yet, exactly a bypass, but it is one which, alas, needs to be weighed up by preachers and people alike.

[7:17] And now, in the text, it tells us of his fullness. And you sing about it.

[7:29] The fullness resides in Jesus our head, and ever abides to answer our need. The Father's good pleasure hath laid up in store a plentiful treasure to give to the poor.

[7:43] And now, I was thinking of one of those stereotype pieces of phraseology, which we have in our denominational life.

[8:00] And you sometimes, not sometimes, but often, hear people, preachers and people, speak about the withholding of the Spirit.

[8:16] And now, it is an expression which should never drop from the lips of anyone thought of God. I wish you would think it over prayerfully and ponder it.

[8:34] And as grace is given, never make use of that expression, that there is a withholding of the Spirit. Dear friends, there is no withholding of the Spirit.

[8:49] You may say, how do you account then for our denominational life? Being in such a state as it is in the Church of Christ, being at such a low ebb in things divine, it is not to do with the withholding of the Spirit.

[9:10] And, it is possible, I'm not putting any caps on, I say, it is possible to use that phrase, that there is a withholding of the Spirit, and you shelter behind it in a kind of fatalistic attitude, because you are where you are in your own soul state.

[9:38] If you sing as you do, I have already quoted it, a fullness resides in Jesus our head, and ever abides to answer our need.

[9:52] There cannot be any withholding of that fullness. What then is amiss? It is not to do with God.

[10:04] I am here to speak on God's behalf, as he shall help me to do it. It is to do with you. When prayer is a burden and task, no wonder I little receive.

[10:19] O Lord, make me willing to ask, since thou art so ready to give. And if you would weigh the matter up, and search the scriptures, regarding this subject, what did the Saviour say?

[10:38] And you should listen to what the Saviour said. Ask, and ye shall receive. Seek, and ye shall find.

[10:52] Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. It is not ask, and you will not be listened to. Seek, but you shall not find.

[11:06] Knock, and there shall be no answer granted. I feel very strongly about this line of things, because, in my latter days, I weigh things up, and I see, dimly, that this is one of the reasons for our low state in our denominational life, which is more to do with a fatalistic spirit.

[11:39] Here is this wondrous fullness available at all times. And that word has never been qualified. And by that word qualified, I mean, there are no provisos attached to it.

[11:57] Him that cometh unto me, I will never, no, never, no, never cast out. What you and I need is this.

[12:11] O Lord, open thou my lips, and my tongue shall show forth thy praise. What you and I need is this.

[12:23] I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And now, let us look at this subject as grace is given from two or three viewpoints of it.

[12:39] And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. And now, as the Lord, you help me, I want to make it plain what this fullness is.

[12:57] The word of God gives us much instruction upon it. It is said to be, I read it to you in the chapter in Colossians, the fullness of God.

[13:11] It pleased the Father that in him should dwell all the fullness of the Godhead. And, there is another word also in the Colossians epistle.

[13:26] In him there dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And now, that word bodily makes it plain how you and I can receive of this fullness.

[13:44] Because, it is where God shines gracious through the man. and remember that verse I have quoted already, the fullness resides in Jesus, our head.

[14:05] The church's living head. And, that fullness has been lodged in him by God the Father.

[14:18] It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell. And so, it is not just the fullness of deity.

[14:30] It is the fullness of God incarnate. The fullness of Jesus Christ as the sinner's friend.

[14:43] It is the fullness of what we might describe with all reverence as the fullness of omnipotence incarnate.

[14:55] There is one God, one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. But then, godly John says, and of his fullness have all we received.

[15:14] received. And now, there is one thing you will receive, and you must receive, in preparation to receive of his fullness.

[15:29] If I can put it in this word, then, you must receive a solemn awareness of your own emptiness, goodness, and that as regards things, divine, ability to do good, you are absolutely destitute.

[15:54] And you must say amen to that declaration, a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven.

[16:10] I remember reading years ago, where good William Gadby in his day preached from that scripture, it pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell.

[16:26] And he was preaching in his own pulpit to his own people. And his opening remark to the sermon was very striking. And the dear minister said, friends, it is very evident everything else and everybody else must be empty.

[16:49] And now that is a great lesson to learn in the things of God. Nothing in my hand I bring. And then he will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer.

[17:09] And now I want to show you what his fullness means, some characteristics of it and how we do receive it.

[17:25] A wonderful mercy when we are favoured to do so. but keep in mind that other scripture in him there dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

[17:41] And therefore that fullness is communicable to poor sinners who realise their emptiness, who feel to be void of all that's good and to be absolutely bankrupt as regards being able to produce any righteousness of their own whereby they can appear before God acceptably.

[18:15] And of his fullness have all we receive. And now Jesus Christ being who he is, the eternal Son of God in his divine nature and also very man he possesses a fullness of authority.

[18:40] And it is well to ponder that viewpoint of it in the times in which you and I are living. What did he say in this same gospel when he prayed as verily man to his father in that wonderful Holy of Holies chapter he said then as thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

[19:20] and Jesus Christ possesses that fullness of authority and the devil doing his worst with all hell at his beck and call cannot dispute that authority but he is actually subject to it in this was the son of God manifest that he might destroy the works of the devil a fullness of authority and then Jesus Christ possesses a fullness of ability how often you read you can look it up when you get home he is able he is able to save unto the uttermost all them that come unto

[20:21] God he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or even think according to the power that worketh in us and that power is faith though it be as a grain of mustard seed according to this fullness of ability Jesus Christ will make it manifest and overturn mountains by the roots and make crooked things straight and rough places plain and how it should encourage you that he is able to save poor sinners because that spells hope for you who can tell but what God will be gracious unto you whatever you do however much the devil may fill you and flood you with ifs and buts and hows as to whether God will have anything whatever to do with such a sinner as you are do not fall a prey to his suggestion do not credit the devil's lies but remember

[21:36] Jesus Christ as a fullness of ability and the word of God gives many an instance and church history from that day to this has many a record blessed God glorifying record of poor sinners out of the way sinners sinners who look to be fit fuel for hell fire and yet such was the fullness of ability that Jesus Christ displayed that they were saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation and remember what you sing I do hope some of you will not be condemned at the last because you have sung gospel truth and not given heed to what it has said and you do sing this

[22:38] I often quote it to you the vilest sinner out of hell who lives to feel his need he's welcome to the throne of grace the saviour's blood to plead and that will be an all prevailing plea because there is a fullness of ability in Jesus Christ as the sinner's friend Jesus blood through earth and skies mercy eternal mercy cries not only so he has a fullness of willingness to save poor sinners and to do them good do believe it he is able he is willing doubt no more you will find much to encourage you in the word of God as to this fullness of willingness that

[23:42] Jesus Christ possesses and he ever makes it known to poor sinners in their approaches to him as the sinner's friend if I ask him to receive me will he say me nay not till earth and not till heaven pass away and of his fullness have all we receive and then Jesus Christ as the sinner's friend as a fullness of wisdom he is declared in the word of God to be Christ the wisdom of God and you remember there is a word to help you in life's problems duties difficulties and what lies before you as you journey on wherein you need instruction as to what to do and the way wherein you should go if any man lack wisdom let him ask of

[24:57] God who giveth to all men liberally and afraid it not and it shall be and how you do need wisdom from above to deal with everyday matters as you journey on wisdom to direct our way and there is a fullness of wisdom in Jesus Christ as the sinner friend and he is ever ready to dispense it he has said I will lead the blind by a way that they know not and in paths that they have not seen I will make darkness light before them crooked things straight these things will I do unto them and not forsake them then there is also in

[25:58] Jesus Christ a fullness of power you sing about him being mighty to save and Isaiah declares that Jesus Christ is indeed a sinner a sinner's friend ever ready to make known his power and that he is mighty to save much might be said of his fullness but I wanted to say a word or two also of another word that is in Isaiah which shows to us that in Jesus Christ there is a fullness of sympathy so that whatever your circumstances may be there is in Jesus Christ help for you in all their affliction he was afflicted and the angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the days of old and

[27:18] Isaiah says also that he is a saviour of quick understanding quick quick in this sense of the word before they call I will answer while they are yet speaking in I will hear oh he possesses the fullness of power if need be he can send one angel to do his bidding or if need arise he can send a host of angels but he will make known his power on behalf of his dear people in all their varied cases and circumstances and he delights to do it and of his fullness have all we receive there is a fullness of power a fullness of sympathy and what does it all flow from a fullness of love the

[28:26] Lord directs your hearts into the love of God says Paul to the godly Thessalonians and to the patient waiting for Christ God is love and it is revealed in what was done at Calvary's cross God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life and of his fullness have all we receive and I might add there is in him a fullness of righteousness whereby all that vast host for whom he came down into this world on their behalf to live and die and rise again he has a robe of righteousness for everyone that they are each one and everyone made meat for the inheritance of the saints in light and of his fullness of all we receive and

[29:46] I might sum it up by saying that there is a fullness to ratify every promise in the word of God made to poor sinners to help them words of comfort words of confirmation words of caution a fullness to ratify every promise to those to whom it is made and also do remember this there is in this fullness such a fullness that it will not only ratify every promise it will ratify every precept what the word of God says you and I ought to be in our everyday lives following on to know the Lord there can be no excuse no extenuation regarding you and I failing to live not in accordance with the pattern

[30:57] God has set forth in the word of his grace because there is a fullness in Jesus Christ to help us to do it you and I need to be waiting on God drawing from that fullness in our everyday lives hence you can say make me to walk in thy command tis a delightful road nor let my head or heart or hands offend against my God and of his fullness have all we receive and grace for grace grace and now this is a wonderful expression and there are many interpretations given of it grace for grace what does it really mean as

[31:59] I view it it means that there is an accumulation of grace and remember if you are called by grace you will ever realize your need of more grace you will never realize that you have got it but you will live like this it is grace that makes men feel their need and cry to God for more but whatever grace you may need and there are varied characteristics to grace but whatever grace you need out of this fullness Jesus Christ will supply it and it will be grace for grace

[33:00] I have thought that Jesus Christ himself I say this with great reverence gives us some light upon what is the deep down meaning of this expression grace for grace and now when he began to preach his own gospel in the sermon on the mount in thee beatitudes he puts it like this blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted and now if God has given you the grace to mourn and you know what it means dear Lord may I a mourner be over my sins and after thee and when my mourning days are o'er enjoy thy comforts evermore but if God grants you that grace whereby you in his time his way you will have the grace of comfort for it answerable to it if he grants you the grace of repentance answerable to that grace of repentance you will be granted the grace of remission of sins and if he grants you grace of supplication whereby you were taught to pray he will grant you another grace answerable to it in answers to prayer he will grant you the grace to praise and if he grants you grace in his dealings with you when your circumstances may be very complicated if he grants you grace to humble yourself under his mighty hand in his dealings with you he will also grant you grace in his time to deliver you and exalt you in your circumstances he will grant you submission to his will and you see the savior amplifies it

[35:19] I've already quoted this Jesus said ask and now that needs grace to do that what then ask and you shall receive and you need that grace to receive much might be said along that line of thought and of his fullness have all we receive and grace for grace and it means that as I have told you and you cannot get a better setting forth of it the fullness resides to in Jesus our head and ever abides to answer our need and you do need this grace in everyday life as you journey on and of his fullness have all we received and now some of you do hope you are called by grace but

[36:32] I'm sure of this every one of you who has that great mercy you feel your need of more grace than you feel to possess and you will have to live like that as long as you live there is no experience when you can settle down and feel oh I have got grace all sufficient no no you have got to live like this ever on thy captain calling make thy worst condition known he shall hold thee up when falling or shall lift thee up when down and mark how this is worthy and of his fullness have all we received you cannot earn it you cannot buy it and you cannot merit it but you ask for it and everyone that asks it receive it the dear saviour tells us and then there is the grace that you need in filling spheres in life whether it be to preach the gospel whether it be to be a teacher of scholars in the sabbath school or whatever sphere you fill in life there is grace that you need to sow the sower soweth the word and

[38:14] I might turn aside and say that godly fathers godly mothers they need this grace to sow to show by their example how godly people live and they need grace to say the right thing in the right way you need much grace to correct your children and that grace is obtainable and it flows from his fullness and of his fullness have all we receive and grace for grace I will guarantee what I'm about to say is the truth concerning everyone who is a godly father or godly mother and that is how often you have said I wish I had more grace to be a godly father a godly mother and that is how you will feel but then you are not to settle down because

[39:22] God with whom you have to do is the God of all grace and as the need arises he can give more grace he delights to do it but he has said I will be inquired of by you all house of Israel to do these things more more grace and there is only one word of counsel to give you and that is wait on the

[41:26] Lord be of good courage he shall strengthen your heart wait I say on the Lord there is this amazing wholeness no words of any preachers can ever define it or describe it as it is worthy to be proclaimed in the gospel but it is a blessed reality there is the fullness of God and I thought in the week of a word in the Ephesians epistle and Paul could have preached to us about it though he could have only taken a bucketful out of the ocean depths in attempting to do so and he says in his petition his desires for the godly Ephesians that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God I come back to what I started with how is it then you and

[42:29] I so often seem to be so poverty stricken in things divine and at such a low ebb as regards our profession and so empty in our soul's feelings there is something that needs to be put right between our souls and God oh that you might have grace and the preacher too to weigh the matter up and that you might know more of his fullness and not so much so often of your emptiness blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness there is that grace to hunger and thirst but what then for they shall be filled there is the inflowing of the blessing of the Lord grace to meet that hunger so that you have bread to eat of which if a man eat he shall live forever and live in water springing up to life eternal within your heart before God and of his fullness have all we receive and when you were helped to receive a little of it you will want grace of gratitude to say thank you to God for it and not just to say thank you to

[44:03] God in words only you will want grace of gratitude whereby you translate thanksgiving into thanks living and you will want to say thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift and this line of things fits in with the same line of things in the morning sermon and of his fullness have all we received I told you and I tell you again that people taught of God have got to learn ever to be receiving God does all the giving you and I have got to learn as grace is given to do thee receiving and when you have received poured up the sacred word feed thereon and grow go on to seek to know the

[45:07] Lord and practice what you know Amen God will leave their meeting and address on Wednesday week and now may the Lord return the Had Now may the Lord reveal his face And teach us every song

[46:09] To make his song Wait in praise Let the glorious song Oh, because the subject that is like of Jesus' path to see, for por', his strength of glorious high, for the highest of the King,

[47:19] The battles with the kings of the world that brought .

[47:55] . . .

[48:05] . . The world has made no striving pain Against the chosen view Take your marriages To the rage The whole shall not go autor O grace that rose, our souls that rose,

[49:09] Thy grace the starry rose, Thy grace will help us growics of earth, Thy have no湯 that rose, Thy mercy some roth.

[49:50] May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father, the communion of the Holy Spirit be upon us and upon all who love the truth everywhere.

[50:06] Amen and amen.